Flour Tortillas

Description:

Tortillas are a type of flatbread, originally made from corn, that were made in the area of modern-day Mexico prior to European colonization. During the time of early Spanish colonization, many Spanish-Jews settled in the area of Northern Mexico and it is believed that these original settlers started the tradition of making flour tortillas (tortillas de harina). To this day, flour tortillas continue to be a staple in the cuisines of Northern Mexico and the American Southwest.

Ingredients:

Tortillas (Makes 8)

·      2.5 cups AP flour (300g)

·      1 tsp baking powder (6 g)

·      ½ tsp salt (3 g)

·      4 tbsp butter or lard (56 g)

·      1 cup water (235 ml)

Preparation:

Heat a pot over high heat and add the water and add the butter or lard. Once melted, turn off the heat. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the water and stir to create a dough ball. Knead just enough to create a dough ball and leave to rest for 20 minutes.

To make large tortillas for burritos, divide the dough into 4 even-sized dough balls. To make small tortillas for tacos, divide the dough into 10 even-sized dough balls.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. On a floured cutting board, roll out the dough ball with a rolling pin into a circle. The dough should be rolled out so it is very thin evenly, but not so thin that you can see through the other side. Carefully add the tortilla to the hot pan and cook for about 1 minute per side. The tortillas should brown slightly, and you may need to adjust the heat so they do not burn on the pan.

Notes: